Buzz dragon boat reportPreseason Training:“Just when I thought I was out …”The ABC teamBy Sebastian BitticksThe months between October and February are quiet forHong Kong’s dragon boaters. But as with everything indragon boating, when <strong>the</strong> season does start, it startsfast – POM – like a booming strike of <strong>the</strong> drum, or a franticblare of <strong>the</strong> race whistle, or with a mighty, collective heave asthousands around <strong>the</strong> territory give vent to <strong>the</strong> same thoughtat <strong>the</strong> same instant: break <strong>the</strong> paddle!!!So it’s only quiet until you start to think about it. Then youcan feel <strong>the</strong> drumming begin in your chest, and you know <strong>the</strong>season is coming.I can feel it, despite being dug deep in my seasonal holidayaway from <strong>the</strong> sporting life (quality time with my belly is morelike it). But for my dragon boat teammates at Buzz, based at<strong>the</strong> ABC, and for any of <strong>the</strong> generations-old fishermen teamswe have <strong>the</strong> rare privilege of paddling against in <strong>the</strong> flurryof <strong>the</strong> full season, <strong>the</strong>se are <strong>the</strong> months that matter. During<strong>the</strong>se months, <strong>the</strong> serious dragon boat teams get down to <strong>the</strong>real business of <strong>the</strong> sport: perfection.As with anything difficult, at a distance dragon boatinglooks ludicrously straightforward. But in a sport that isroutinely won and lost by a fraction of a second, every strokeof every paddle counts. For a club, this can be a challenge.“For a paddler, <strong>the</strong> chance topursue personal perfection, tohone your skill and strength toits peak, is deeply gratifying.”It’s your chance to find perfection.It’s also painful. To dragon-boat well, you must pushyourself, often until your arms and eyes are burning fromsaltwater and exhaustion. And yet many of my favouritememories of Buzz are not of <strong>the</strong> sun-soaked days spentbattling towards <strong>the</strong> beach against some of Asia’s very bestteams. They are of <strong>the</strong> dark, difficult, night-time sessionswhere I learned to bend that inch lower, pull a little harder, orsimply refused to give in and call it quits.Which is why this preseason you’ll see us Buzzians out <strong>the</strong>re,as ever, doing jumping jacks in <strong>the</strong> car park and heave-ho’ingthrough <strong>the</strong> harbour: we’re addicted to perfection, in <strong>the</strong>se small,hard-won doses. It can catch you quickly. Coach Henry Au-yeungtold me that already some of our rookies have caught <strong>the</strong> bug,and are on <strong>the</strong>ir way to becoming great paddlers.I kind of wish I hadn’t talked to <strong>the</strong> coach, though. I wasfeeling pretty good about my off-season rut (and gut). Now, likesomething primal, my body begins to remember its training. Ican remember <strong>the</strong> weight of <strong>the</strong> paddle in my hand, <strong>the</strong> waya wave breaks when I snap it back, <strong>the</strong> heat in my leg and itspreading across my back. And <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> feeling ofclimbing out of <strong>the</strong> boat for <strong>the</strong> night, exhausted, but flush with<strong>the</strong> knowledge that you went fur<strong>the</strong>r tonight than ever. Howcan I describe it? It feels close to perfection.Sebastian Bitticks is starting hisfourth season on Buzz, sooner thanexpected it seems.Erdinger DunkelAlc. 5.3% by volume$42 per bottleThe world’s most popular wheat beer.Delightfully spicy with a hint ofchocolate. The light, sweet, malty baseis overlaid with warming spices, almondsand a gently tart fruit flavour.Erdinger Dunkel’s traditional bottlefermentation gives it a harmonicand sparkling champagne-like taste.With no preservatives, additives orpasteurisation, Erdinger Dunkel is anatural choice.Beer of <strong>the</strong> Month<strong>Aberdeen</strong> <strong>Boat</strong> <strong>Club</strong> 香 港 仔 遊 艇 會P.18
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